Apple's latest products, including the iPhone 4S and updated Mac mini and MacBook Air, are among a group of low-power Bluetooth devices now branded as "Bluetooth Smart Ready."

Bluetooth Smart is a new brand extension given by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group to devices that implement Bluetooth 4.0. Compatible devices include phones, tablets, PCs and TVs.

"Bluetooth Smart and Bluetooth Smart Ready devices will revolutionize the way we collect, share and use information," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. "In order to ensure consumers know what these extraordinary devices have to offer, we created the Bluetooth Smart and Bluetooth Smart Ready marks. These new logos will help consumers manage compatibility, and encourage manufacturers to build their best Bluetooth devices yet."

Bluetooth Smart devices are sensor-type devices like heart-rate monitors or pedometers. They run on button-cell batteries and were created to collect only a specific piece of information.

Bluetooth Smart Ready devices can connect to traditional Bluetooth devices, as well as new Bluetooth Smart devices that are just starting to enter the market. But Bluetooth Smart devices, because of their lower power consumption, will only connect with products labeled as Bluetooth Smart Ready.

Packages will now carry three potential logos created by the Bluetooth SIG to help consumers identify what their device offers, whether it be traditional Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart, or Bluetooth Smart Ready.

"Consumers can look at new Bluetooth Smart Ready devices the same way they would a 3D ready TV -- having the TV is just the first part of the puzzle, you need glasses and content in order to really experience 3D," said Suke Jawanda, CMO of the Bluetooth SIG. "Once consumers have a Bluetooth Smart Ready device, like the new iPhone 4S, they can continue connecting to existing Bluetooth devices and are also ready to experience the new world of Bluetooth Smart peripheral devices that will carry the Bluetooth Smart logo."

Bluetooth 4.0 support first appeared in Apple's products in July, when the MacBook Air lineup and Mac mini were refreshed. Other Macs released this year -- new iMacs and MacBook Pros -- only support Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), but Bluetooth 4.0 also came to the new iPhone 4S released earlier this month.

Apple joined the Bluetooth SIG board of directors in June, and now takes part in overseeing the development of standards and licensing for the short-range wireless technology. When Apple joined, the special interest group said the iPhone maker would provide insight on platform development, as the company understands that technology is now driven by "hub devices" that capture data, utilize data at the application layer, and even upload it to the cloud.

iPhone 4S doesn't work well with my Toyota factory installed bluetooth handsfree system. There is usually a lot of static or people can't here me. iPhone 4 works fine. May be bluetooth smart ready, but its not Toyota bluetooth car readly like the iPhone 4 was.

Terrible marketing decision - will only confuse everyone. Almost as bad as Toyota and their plethora of Prius models (they currently have a Prius V and now have a new car (station wagon) called the Prius v - yup, that's just a small "v").

I was really hoping that the iPod nano (7th Gen) would have incorporated this, as it would have allowed it to share information with the iP4s. There are many exciting opportunities when this happens using the iPn7 as a remote (think watch band) control/activation screen for SIRI commands, streaming content and data, etc..

The recent upgrades to i)S5 on phones are giving rise to numerous reports of Bluetooth problems that were working fine prior to the iOS5 upgrade. I have a 3GS that was upgraded and now my Bluetooth never finds anything, cannot work in my car and all it does is run down the battery such that I had to turn it off. In iOS4.3, I had no issues with bluetooth. So if Apple did add new features to Bluetooth in iOS5, they broke it for legacy devices. The Apple support fourms are reporting more and more issues with Bluetooth. I wish Apple Insider would look into and report on the issue. Someone needs to get Apple's attention.

The recent upgrades to i)S5 on phones are giving rise to numerous reports of Bluetooth problems that were working fine prior to the iOS5 upgrade. I have a 3GS that was upgraded and now my Bluetooth never finds anything, cannot work in my car and all it does is run down the battery such that I had to turn it off. In iOS4.3, I had no issues with bluetooth. So if Apple did add new features to Bluetooth in iOS5, they broke it for legacy devices. The Apple support fourms are reporting more and more issues with Bluetooth. I wish Apple Insider would look into and report on the issue. Someone needs to get Apple's attention.

Just make sure you have initialized your device to search for bluetooth devices. I had the problem with my aviation headset, until I was advised by Bose how to re-initialize it. Same happened with my Parrot in-car system - had to reset it to search, and it connects just fine now.

That wasnt true before, so it wont be now. I have plenty of non-Apple-approved accessories for my iPods and iPhone. Bluetooth and wired alike. Apple has an approval program for putting Apple badging on the package, but not for the very existence of the accessory product.

Indeed. That and the lack of Flash are the two biggest peeves concerning the iPhone. Hopefully they will be resolved soon. I mean, it's clear that Apple lost its 'Flash-war,' and wouldn't it be nice to be able to simply transfer files to and from other devices like everybody else can?

Now if only the Bluetooth Smart Ready iPhone 4S could connect to the Bluetooth Smart Ready MacBook Air through any of the Bluetooth standards. I know, Apple prefers we sync through iCloud or even iTunes Wi-Fi now, but I recall being able to route sound from a Nokia phone to a PC or Mac. Without NFC, Bluetooth would also be a good way for two iPhones to share contacts, etc.

iPhone 4S doesn't work well with my Toyota factory installed bluetooth handsfree system. There is usually a lot of static or people can't here me. iPhone 4 works fine. May be bluetooth smart ready, but its not Toyota bluetooth car readly like the iPhone 4 was.

There are all kinds of network connectivity and Bluetooth issues that I've had with 10.7.2, and iOS5. The iPhone doesn't join known networks well, my MBA loses network connectivity every time I shut the lid (total pain; I have to manually reconnect every time), and I totally lost Bluetooth connectivity with my Magic Mouse and Apple Trackpad (and had to go through multiple steps to get it back on -- there are huge threads about this in Apple Support).

Overall, I've been very unimpressed by the recent suite of software updates. A pain in the a**.

Actually- Apple worked with BDA in establishing the format. most likely to help kill off DVD-HD or whatever it was Msft was backing. Apple just doesn't ship blu-ray optical drives with their devices- because by the time it was ready- it was too expensive to put in without jacking up the price at a time when people were already dismissive of macs due to perceived costs over a msft PC.

And besides- who didn't see the writing on the wall that digital downloads were going to be where the puck was going- so apple never bothered. You could, and can, get a third party Blu-ray drive.

Physical media sucks anyways- drains power, loud, gets damaged. And the quality isn't so much better- and will become equivalent in time.

But back to this bluetooth debacle.. what a way to convolute a product that was championed for it's simplicity in connectivity. I guess some jackass couldn't help themselves and decided to market it with a flow chart of compatibility. SNORE.

running an iphone 4 with ios 5 , no problems with hands free in my audi, or any other problems. the only thing I will say is that battery life does seem to be less. I wish in my audi that you could stream music to the car with bluetooth, will bluetooth smart or smart ready be able to support that?

Actually- Apple worked with BDA in establishing the format. most likely to help kill off DVD-HD or whatever it was Msft was backing.

No, that wasn't their purpose.

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Apple just doesn't ship blu-ray… …because… …it was too expensive…

No, that's not the reason.

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…who didn't see the writing on the wall that digital downloads were going to be where the puck was going…

Every single other company on the planet, and every single other company on the planet STILL doesn't believe it. Again, not the reason.

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Physical media sucks anyways- drains power, loud, gets damaged. And the quality isn't so much better- and will become equivalent in time.

Yep, absolutely. But wasn't the reason Apple doesn't ship Blu-ray.

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But back to this bluetooth debacle.. what a way to convolute a product that was championed for it's simplicity in connectivity. I guess some jackass couldn't help themselves and decided to market it with a flow chart of compatibility. SNORE.

Now if only the Bluetooth Smart Ready iPhone 4S could connect to the Bluetooth Smart Ready MacBook Air through any of the Bluetooth standards. I know, Apple prefers we sync through iCloud or even iTunes Wi-Fi now, but I recall being able to route sound from a Nokia phone to a PC or Mac. Without NFC, Bluetooth would also be a good way for two iPhones to share contacts, etc.

You know what would be cool? If iOS devices showed up in airdrop in Lion, for easy transfer of photos, etc.

Unfortunately, he's dead, and has no say anymore in Apple's future. I just hope his DNA was embedded enough in the company so that they don't stray from their root, and are still willing and eager to make massive gambles and big risks that disrupt, blow away, and move us forward.

For the love of humanity, is it really so hard to call it "Bluetooth 4.0"?

Screw you and your worthless naming conventions. One spec. One standard. One new chip. Period.

WHO WANTS TO MEMORIZE THIS?!

And it is just plain weird - at a glance, it looks like BlueTooth Smart Ready is compatible with 3 different things, while Bluetooth Smart is compatible only with one. Doesn't that make "Ready" the better choice?

From the chart, it looks like if my product bears a Bluetooth Smart logo, it is NOT compatible with another product bearing a Bluetooth Smart logo. WTF?

From the chart, it looks like if my product bears a Bluetooth Smart logo, it is NOT compatible with another product bearing a Bluetooth Smart logo. WTF?

Bluetooth Smart devices are ONLY capable of sending data (that's what keeps them in ultra low-power mode). They cannot receive data. That's why two Bluetooth Smart devices can't communicate between each other.

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And it is just plain weird - at a glance, it looks like BlueTooth Smart Ready is compatible with 3 different things, while Bluetooth Smart is compatible only with one. Doesn't that make "Ready" the better choice?

Of course it is the better choice for devices that receive data, of which there are only two choices, legacy Bluteooth 3.0 or Bluetooth Smart Ready

Drains power? If you are concerned about that, I hope you leave your computer powered off at all times as everything it does drains power.

Gets damaged? Take better care of you things, I have over 500 movies on "physical media", none have been damaged

Quality? Oh, I see you are taking the piss, are you trying to compare the quality of iTunes downloads to a Blu-ray movie? Yeah, I class DD as high quality as well...

Of course, everything drains power. That's not a good point, and sadly, it is what it is.

I never said I don't take care of my things. I don't own over 500 movies tho. I have a lot better things to do with my time. Howse your hundreds of CDs, cassettes, and 8 tracks treating ya? Hoard much? Again, no valid point to what I said. Maybe you shouldn't clutter your home with hundreds of plastic discs, cases, and shelves to store it?